With Beyonce and Paschalis Terzis on stage as well as with kings, princes, football stars, Russian oligarchs and international celebrities among the guests, the legendary Onassis’ island will be back on the map of the world jet set.
On 4 June the new owner of Skorpios, Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolvovlev, will organize the opening of the new era of the Ionian island. The celebration will coincide with the 25th birthday of the oligarch’s daughter and owner of the island, on paper, Ekaterina Rybolvovleva.
According to a publication in the Sunday edition of the Greek daily Ethnos the preparation for the big event started several months ago. Construction teams are now completely renovating the buildings where the Rybolvovlev family guests, including monarchs, oligarchs, international celebrities and businessmen, will stay. In early March, Ekaterina was on the island to personally inspect the course of the preparation works.
It is expected that three representatives of the Principality of Monaco, namely Prince Albert, his wife Charlene and his niece Charlotte Casiraghi, who is a very good friend of the birthday girl, Ekaterina Rybolvovleva, will be among the guests. Rumour has it that an invitation will be sent to Aristotle Onassis’ only heiress, his granddaughter Athina, although the probability of her accepting it is very small.
Rumour also has it that Russian businessman of Greek origin "king of cement" Filaretos Kaltsidis will be among the guests too. The party will be attended by wealthy Greeks from the region of Meganissi and two world famous DJs from Ibiza and Monte Carlo.
During the celebrations, the whole island of Skorpios will be illuminated. According to the publication in Ethnos, Ekaterina has requested the inclusion of Greek, French and Russian dishes on the menu. The wine will come from the neighbouring Lefkada Island and the champagne from France.
Private jets will land at the airport in Aktio and luxury yachts will anchor around the island. The security measures will be draconian.
The Rybolvovlev family party will again turn Onassis’ "heaven on earth" into the centre of social life. Skorpios was visited by various representatives of the Kennedy family, Maria Callas, the ship-owning Livanos family, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, kings, holders of other noble titles and many more.
The wild nights on the island have always provoked the curiosity of the inhabitants of Lefkada who, day after day, have created the myth of Onassis. Today's preparations for Ekaterina’s birthday have evoked many memories. Her friends will swim in the sea, where Jackie Kennedy swam, and rejoice in the green area outside the pink house where Onassis’ children Christina and Alexandros played.
It is as if the past is trying to resurrect itself. Photographers and paparazzi from around the world will once again besiege Skorpios to capture at least a second of a completely different life. Rybolvovlev will gather around him present leading figures, and the moments will be reminiscent of the people around Onassis, who included Winston Churchill, Rockefeller, and Piniateli.
The legendary Greek billionaire ruled his empire from his perfectly organized office on the island. Dozens of agreements were concluded around one of the pools or fireplaces, and his no less mythical yacht "Christina" could be noted at the port.
According to the residents of Lefkada, the new owner of Skorpios loves it as Onassis did. "Dmitry is in love with Skorpios," his friends claim. When on the island, he often sails to nearby islands by his yacht "My Anna", named after his youngest daughter. Several times the inhabitants of Meganissi have seen him having lunch at a fish restaurant in the village of Vathi on the island, in the company of his daughter and friends.